{"id":13353,"date":"2022-12-22T13:07:58","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T11:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/?p=13353"},"modified":"2026-09-28T12:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T10:35:32","slug":"how-documentary-photographers-use-large-format-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/news-en\/projects\/how-documentary-photographers-use-large-format-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"How documentary photographers use large format photography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n\n
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From negative to digital archive.<\/strong> How documentary photographers in Hannover use large format photography.<\/p>\n

\r\n Michael Hauri<\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\n \"Gaschwitz,\n \n Gaschwitz, 29\/12\/1998: In a telephone booth at the train station, Nuno L., a carpenter, is talking to his family in Portugal. It is his 49th birthday. And the day Germany is eliminated from the World Cup. Eight neo-Nazis take this as an opportunity for an orgy of violence. They attack L. in the cell. Months later, he dies from his injuries. Photo: Julius Schien<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n

Although most photographers use digital cameras these days, a small group still relies on the traditional method of large-format analogue photography.<\/strong> The format impresses with its high resolution. Prints from 4\u00d75 negatives look correspondingly detailed. In addition, with large format cameras, the focus can be adjusted to specific areas of the image.

However, there are some disadvantages associated with large-format analogue photography. Film material is hard to come by and is getting increasingly expensive. Ten sheets of 4\u00d75 colour negative film cost around \u20ac80. In addition, the cameras are usually heavy and bulky. A tripod is indispensable.

For Julius Schien, a student in the Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography programme in Hannover, the deceleration makes it so appealing: \u00abBy slowing down the process, I inevitably engage more with my subject.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \"\"\n \n Photo: Julius Schien<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

Enver \u015e. struggles with death for two days.<\/strong> The perpetrators shot at him with two pistols. Eight bullets hit him \u2013 five of them on his head. On September 11, 2000, the doctors pronounced death. Enver \u015e. is the first victim of the terrorist neo-Nazi group \u00abNational Socialist Underground\u00bb (NSU).<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n

Schien is an example of how documentary photographers combine analogue camera technology and digital publication today: For his project on crime scenes of right-wing violence, he travelled all over Germany with his Toyo Field 45A. The results will be presented in an interactive archive to the public. He is currently working on this concept in the \u00abOnline Publication\u00bb seminar at the Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Julius Schien recently shared his knowledge with his fellow students at a workshop. After a brief technical introduction, students could try their hand at the in-house 4\u00d75-inch large-format cameras and then develop and digitize the negatives in the course’s labs. Thanks to the positive feedback and the great interest in the workshop, there will be another introduction to the large format for interested students in the summer semester of 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We created this post with support from SE Ranking<\/a> and the assistance of tools from Jasper AI and OpenAI.<\/sub><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \"By\n \n By students for students: In the workshop on large-format photography, Michael Matthey (pictured here in the centre), Ludwig Nikulski, Lenny Steinhauer and Julius Schien share their experiences. Photo: Fabian Niebauer<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
\n ZEIT.DE ABOUT THE PROJECT \u00abRECHTES LAND\u00bb<\/a>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
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More news<\/h2>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\n\n
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\n\tEvents<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

Events for Prospective Students.<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t

Between now and February, there are several chances in Hannover to talk to students and lecturers on the programme. If you can\u2019t make the trip, you can get advice online.<\/p>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t<\/header>\r\n\r\n\t

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\n\tEvents<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

Young Perspectives on Old Conflicts.<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t

A picture editor, a satellite investigator, an XR producer and two photographers: on 10 November in Berlin, they\u2019ll discuss what kind of storytelling it takes for conflict reporting to be heard.<\/p>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t<\/header>\r\n\r\n\t

\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\"Rooftops\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n\r\n<\/article>\r\n\r\n
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\n\tAwards<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

Award of Excellence for Jonathan Funk.<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t

The student has been recognised in the \u2018Portrait\u2019 category of College Photographer of the Year \u2013 for an image from north-eastern Syria.<\/p>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t<\/header>\r\n\r\n\t

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\n\tExhibitions<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

Keeping the city clean.<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t

Many waste workers wonder whether their bodies will last until they retire. HsH students photographed them at work, and ver.di is showing the pictures until 14 December 2026.<\/p>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t<\/header>\r\n\r\n\t

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\r\n\r\n Final projects<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Waiting for war <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
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For his bachelor\u2019s project, photographer Patrick Slesiona travelled to Armenia. For years the democratic country has had to defend itself against its authoritarian neighbour Azerbaijan.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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\r\n\r\n Award winners<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Hospital on wheels. <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
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In “Diagnosis”, Emile Ducke photographs the unusual health care in the Russian hinterland.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"Kuragino,\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n
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The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"A\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n
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\r\n\r\n Collecting<\/span>\r\n

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What does cultural responsibility mean in the music business? A Berlin label is giving forgotten Arabic music a stage \u2013 and asking who that heritage belongs to.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\n
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